Burn preventing foraminate material arrangement on electric motors

ABSTRACT

Protective material for covering a heated element, such as an electric motor, or machine, or device, or the like, for protecting personnel against burns which might be encountered from engagement with the heated element. The protective material comprises a sheet of material which has relatively low thermal conductivity and which has a multiplicity of apertures therethrough and, which, for example, may be a screen or screenlike material which is positioned in covering engagement with the machine. Because the protective material has a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, the protective material does not significantly affect the dissipation of heat from the machine or device. However, if the protective material is engaged by a persons&#39;&#39;s hand, only a very small quantity of heat is transferred from the protective material to the person who comes into contact therewith.

United States Patent [72] Inventor James C. Ryan Springfield, Ohio [21]Appl. No. 748,853 [22] Filed July 30, 1968 [45] Patented Feb. 16, 1971[73] Assignee Robbins & Myers, Inc.

Springfield, Ohio [54] BURN PREVENTING FORAMINATE MATERIAL ARRANGEMENTON ELECTRIC MOTORS 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl. 310/43; 77/7:165/135: 310/66; 310/85 [51] 1nt.CI H02k /02, H02k /14 [50] FieldofSearch 174/5, 70, I22(.1),(1nquired),124(.1);219/l0.49; 165/135, 136,(Inquired); 263/50; 310/43, 45, 50, 64, 65, 66, 89, 2723;313/17, 18,312,(lnquired), 317,.324; 328/7; 338/208, 259, 268, 277; 2/16, 128/132, 258;16/116,(.1,1.2); 294/27, 32-34,1,131;145/61(.1,.11,.12,.2); 150/52,(.4); 181/62, 72 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 703,1006/1902 Wantz 310/X 1,500,696 7/1924 White 219/531 Jancke 1,857,6395/1932 219/226 1,986,256 l/l935 Ellis /52 2,707,620 5/1955 Snyder257/136 2,812,900 11/1957 Matthews.... 230/275 812,797 2/1906 Knudson200/168 1,538,159 5/1925 Blair 310/64 2,079,369 5/1937 Bradley 174/70X3,121,813 2/1964 Pratt et a1. 310/50 3,205,467 9/1965 Ganci 338/2683,225,230 12/1965 Maffey 310/50 3,236,300 2/1966 Chave et a1. /136Primary Examiner-W. E. Ray Attorney-William R. Jacox ABSTRACT:Protective material for covering a heated element, such as an electricmotor, or machine, or device, or the like, for protecting personnelagainst burns which might be encountered from engagement with the heatedelement. The protective material comprises a sheet of material which hasrelatively low thermal conductivity and which has a multiplicity ofapertures therethrough and, which, for example, may be a screen orscreenlike material which is positioned in covering engagement with themachine. Because the protective material has a multiplicity of aperturestherethrough, the protective material does not significantly affect thedissipation of heat from the machine or device. However, if theprotective material is engaged by a personss hand, only a very smallquantity of heat is transferred from the protective material to theperson who comes into contact therewith.

PATENIED FEBI-B BI I nvv ewron. JAMES c. RYAN ATTORNEY BURN PREVENTINGFORAMINATE MATERIAL ARRANGEMENT ON ELECTRIC MOTORS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In numerous types of equipment or apparatus, a machine ordevice may be positioned among various mechanical members or otherelements or devices or other machine members which may sometimes requirework thereupon. The machine or device may be one which is heated to arelatively high temperature during use thereof. Thus, if it becomesnecessary for a person to work upon the mechanical members immediatelyfollowing use of the apparatus, the person may come into contact withthe hot machine or device and may become burned thereby.

For example, a business type of apparatus such as typewriter apparatuswhich is electrically operated includes an electric motor which may bedisposed in closely spaced relationship among numerous mechanicalmembers. The electric motor is usually one which includes electricalinsulation materials which are capable of withstanding temperatures wellabove the temperature of a persons body. Thus, the electric motor isoperated at high temperatures. It sometimes becomes necessary formechanical members of the typewriter apparatus adjacent the electricmotor tobe adjusted or repaired. Therefore, it becomes necessary for theperson who works upon the mechanical members to have his hands closelyadjacent the heated electric motor. If the persons hand should engagethe hot motor, a burn of considerable severity may occur.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide means forprotection of a person who may work upon portions of apparatus which areadjacent a motor or other machine or device which has a temperatureconsiderably above a person's body temperature.

It is another object of this invention to provide such protective meanswhich does not significantly reduce the capacity of the heated machineto dissipate heat therefrom.

It is another object of this invention to provide such protective meanswhich does not significantly reduce the amount of space in the apparatuswithin which mechanical members may be disposed.

It is another object of this invention to provide protective materialwhich can be easily and readily applied to any machine, element, device,or member which operates at a relatively high temperature and from whichpersonnel should be protected against burning.

It is another object of this invention to provide such protective meanswhich is relatively low in cost and which may be installed with relativeease.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspectiveview of a typical electric motor of the type which may be employed as apart ofa business apparatus and which may be located in the apparatus inclosely spaced relationship among numerous mechanical parts.

FIG. 2 is a plan view, drawn on a much larger scale than FIG. I, of aportion of suitable protective material which is placed into coveringengagement with the electric motor of FIG. I for protection of personnelwho may work upon mechanical parts disposed adjacent the electric motor.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, drawn on substantially the same scale asFIG. I, showing a tube or sleeve of the protective material of FIG. 2shaped for closely covering the electric motor of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, drawn on substantially the same scale asFIGS. 1 and 3, showing the tube or sleeve ofprotective material of FIG.3 in covering engagement with the electric motor of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a machinein the form of an electric motor I0 which is an example of a machine ordevice to which protective material of this invention may be applied.However, it is to be understood that numerous other types of machines ordevices, either electrical or otherwise, may be covered by material ofthis invention for protection of personnel who may work adjacent themachine. Examples of other types of elements, machines, or devices towhich protective material of this invention maybe applied are suchdevices as electrical resistors, electronic tubes, transformers, coils,and any other element or device or machine which operates at atemperature above normal body temperature and which may be disposedamong other elements in an apparatus or the like.

A suitable material for use as a protective material in this inventionmay be any foraminate material which has relatively low thermalconductivity. For example, material referred to as Fiberglas (fibrousglass) or Saran has been found to be very satisfactory as material ofthis invention. Other materials of the plastics class or materials ofother types have also been found to be satisfactory, if they have lowthermal conductivity. The foraminate material may be ,in the form of ascreen material such as shown in FIG. 2.

A satisfactory low thermal conductivity material may be generally in theorder of 0.010 to 0.020 inches in thickness. However, other thicknesses,somewhat less or somewhat greater have also been found to besatisfactory. The material is preferably of a thickness dimension whichdoes not extend significantly beyond the machine or device which itcovers. Screen material having a mesh in the general order of l8 x 14strands per square inch has been found to be satisfactory. However,screen meshes having more or fewer openings per square inch have alsobeen found to be satisfactory.

The foraminate material may be formed into a tube or sleeve 12 ofsuitable length and diameter to tightly encompass the motor 10 ofFIG. 1. The tube or sleeve 12 is then placed into covering engagementwith the motor 10. The tube or sleeve 12 may be firmly attached to themotor 10 by any suitablemeans, not shown'The assembly thus appearssubstantially as shown in FIG. 4.

Instead of preparing a tube or sleeve 12 of the foraminate protectivematerial prior to forcing the sleeve 12 upon the motor 10, a sheet orstrip of the foraminate protective material may be tightly wrapped uponthe motor 10, without substantial overlap.

The motor 10 is then adapted to be positioned within apparatus closelyadjacent other elements or members. The motor 10 may become a part of abusiness apparatus or a part of another type of apparatus. The motor 10is adapted to operate at a relatively high temperature. Due to the factthat the protective material has a multiplicity of openingstherethrough, the ability of the motor 10 to dissipate heat is notsignificantly affected.

Due to the fact that the foraminate protective material is in firmengagement with the motor 10, the foraminate material is heated tosubstantially the same temperature as the motor 10. However, if when themotor 10 is in a heated condition, it

i should be necessary for a person to work in the vicinity of the motor10, danger of burning ofthe person does not exist. If the persons handshould engage the foraminate low thermal conductivity material, a smalland almost insignificant quantity of heat is transferred from theprotective material to the person's hand.

Due to the fact that the foraminate protective material has a lowthermal conductivity, heat from the motor 10 does not rapidly flow intothe foraminate protective material to replace the small quantity of heattransferred to the person's hand. Thus, even though the persons hand mayremain in engagement with the protective material for a few seconds oftime, no appreciable quantity of heat flows to the hand. Thus, burningof the hand does not occur, even though the temperature of the motor maybe considerably higher than a persons body temperature.

it is to be understood that protective material of this invention may beapplied in covering relationship to other types of machines, devices, ormembers. The protective material may cover all or a portion of themachine, device, or member.

I claim:

1. In combination with an electric motor which is heated to atemperature above :normal body temperature, personnel burn protectivematerial which is in engaging covering relationship with the motor, theprotective material being a material which has'relatively low thermalconductivity and which has a multiplicity of apertures therethrough andwhich has small mass per unit of area thereof, the material thus havinga small quantity of heat therein per unit area thereof, so

that if a person comes into engagement with the protective material,only a small quantity of heat flows from the material to the person andadditional heat does not flow readily from the electric motor throughthe protective material to the per-

1. In combination with an electric motor which is heated to atemperature above normal body temperature, personnel burn protectivematerial which is in engaging covering relationship with the motor, theprotective material being a material which has relatively low thermalconductivity and which has a multiplicity of apertures therethrough andwhich has small mass per unit of area thereof, the material thus havinga small quantity of heat therein per unit area thereof, so that if aperson comes into engagement with the protective material, only a smallquantity of heat flows from the material to the person and additionalheat does not flow readily from the electric motor through theprotective material to the person.
 2. The combination of claim 1 inwhich the protective material is a screen material which isapproximately 0.013 inches in thickness and is of a mesh approximately18 x 14 strands per square inch.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in whichthe protective material is a screen material which is approximately0.013 inches in thickness and is of a mesh approximately 18 x 14 strandsper square inch.
 3. The combination of claim 1 in which the protectivematerial is a fibrous glass material.
 4. The combination of claim 1 inwhich the protective material is in the form of a sleeve of screenmaterial which engagingly encompasses the electric motor.